Open AccessA systematic approach for assessing climate vulnerabilities and adaptation options in large property portfolios: influences on property owners’ transformative capacity
Author(s) -
Mattias Hjerpe,
Erik Glaas,
R. Hedenqvist,
Sofie Storbjörk,
Tomasz Opach,
Carlo Navarra
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
iop conference series. earth and environmental science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1755-1307
pISSN - 1755-1315
DOI - 10.1088/1755-1315/588/3/032044
Subject(s) - transformative learning , adaptation (eye) , vulnerability (computing) , flood myth , adaptive capacity , business , property (philosophy) , environmental resource management , environmental planning , risk analysis (engineering) , climate change , process management , computer science , geography , sociology , environmental science , computer security , psychology , pedagogy , philosophy , epistemology , neuroscience , ecology , archaeology , biology
Climate change and urban densification pose major challenges to the built environment. In Swedish cities, fluvial and pluvial floods risk being aggravated, necessitating adaptation efforts to make the build environment more resilient. A recent governmental inquiry states that owners are primarily responsible for adapting their property, and that the existing built environment is particularly tricky. Property owners often lack tools and approaches to strategically adapt to climate risks. This paper presents and tests a structured approach intended for large property owners to assess and visualize flood vulnerability in both individual buildings and the property portfolio, and organizational adaptive responses. The approach was developed and tested using the municipal housing company Hyresbostäder in Norrköping, Sweden as case. The study builds on workshops with staff, a systematic flood vulnerability mapping of 575 buildings, and in-situ inspections of the 85 most vulnerable buildings. The vulnerability and need for adaptation of individual buildings were visualized on a map, and adaptive avenues were identified. The approach was found useful for identifying the most vulnerable buildings, concrete adaptation measures and five broad adaptation avenues: risk-focused adaptation investments, area-focused adaptation, regular inspection and maintenance, informed collaboration and tenant dialogues. The property owner’s transformative capacity was improved by creating a shared vision, empowerment and learning, innovation capacity, gaining overview supporting transformative leadership and external cooperation likely to contribute to meeting SDGs 13 and 11. In further studies the approach will be tested by other large property owners under limited research support.